Returned in Kind
by Theoretician
Summary: Starscream is a treacherous snake, and his actions will not go unpunished. TF:P, not slash.


** Title: **Returned in Kind

** Author: **Mademoiselle Juko Pax-Prime

** Rating: **PG

** Summary: **Starscream is a treacherous snake, and his actions will not go unpunished. TF:P, not slash. REWRITTEN.

** Content/Warnings: **Megatron beating the crap out of Starscream.

** Feedback: **Makes me happy and possibly better.

** Spoilers: **Some for Transformers: Prime, prior to the episode "Out of His Head."

** Disclaimer: **I do not and never will own the Transformers. This was made purely for fun.

"Please, master, I meant no harm," Starscream sputtered. "I did everything in my power to ensure—"

"Silence, traitor," Megatron growled. He glared down at his SIC. "You did no such thing. You let me lie in stasis while you attempted to take _my_ place!" He took a step towards Starscream, who scrambled backwards as fast as he could. "You even tried to kill Optimus Prime yourself!"

"Master, I—"

"Be quiet!" Megatron kicked Starscream, sending him flying across the room. The Seeker hit the wall with a deafening crash, destroying a surveillance monitor, and Megatron grinned in a shark-like way. The sound of Starscream's shriek as broken glass and hot wires assaulted his highly sensitive wings was like music to his audio receptors.

Starscream attempted a transformation, as he had on the bow of the _Nemesis,_ but, as before, Megatron grabbed his wings and brought him to the ground again. Starscream reverted to his bi-pedal mode, but Megatron kept a firm grip on his Second's wings. His claws cut into them, and Starscream howled in agony again. The flier twisted violently, trying to free himself but only succeeding in slashing his wings more.

"Release me!" he yowled. Megatron said nothing, only tightened his hold on Starscream. Starscream thrashed for almost ten nano-klicks more before he finally went still. His intakes were struggling to circulate air, and his cooling fans were working furiously.

"Please…master," he rasped, keeping his optics lowered.

"You're learning," Megatron said, releasing him. He flicked beads of energon off the tips of his claws and glared at Starscream. "But, I think, in the wrong areas of expertise. I do not believe that you are unintelligent, Starscream, no."

Starscream clenched one hand into a fist, and made an almost animalistic sound. He stepped back, raised his other hand, and tried to pierce Megatron's Spark chamber with his claws. Undaunted, Megatron grabbed Starscream's wrist and hurled him to the ground. Another clang echoed throughout the ship, and Starscream let out a whine as his wings were jarred once again.

Megatron placed his foot on Starscream's chassis, threatening to crush it. He leered at his Second.

"No, you are merely…unlucky." He leaned forward, putting more weight on his foot and denting Starscream's chassis inward. Starscream sucked in a breath and glared at Megatron.

"Why don't you kill me? You've had so many opportunities, _my Lord_," he hissed, putting sarcastic emphasis on the last two words. Megatron's smirk turned into a snarl.

"Do not tempt me, my dearest Starscream," he said. He pressed his foot down a little more, and a sharp crack was heard. Starscream screeched horribly, and tried in vain to push Megatron's foot off of himself. Megatron's shark grin returned. "Of course, had you demurely kept your position as Air Commander, you wouldn't be in this position right now." Starscream's optics were flickering, and he was dangerously close to offlining. "I might have even pardoned your _failed_ assassination attempt." Starscream snarled weakly, then coughed, bringing up pale blue energon. Megatron took his foot off of his Second's chassis, only to reach down and grasp him by the neck. Straightening up again, Megatron leaned close to Starscream, putting his mouth right next to the Seeker's audio receptors.

"Listen closely, snake," he whispered menacingly. "If you _ever _commit such treachery again, _I will kill you._ There will be no questions, no pleas, no begging for mercy. I will kill you without mercy." He squeezed Starscream's neck, and felt one or two delicate cables snap. "Do I make myself clear?"

Starscream did not reply. Drawing back, Megatron saw that the flier had offlined completely. He chuckled darkly, and tossed his Second over his shoulder. He made his way to the medical bay, ignoring the suspicious glances that passing Vehicons gave him. No doubt they were wondering what had happened, but none of them dared to ask.

The doors to the med bay opened with a quiet hiss, and Knock Out jumped about a foot in the air.

"My Lord," he said hastily, bowing. Megatron placed Starscream on the medical berth.

"It would seem that our Air Commander requires repairs, Knock Out," he said. Knock Out peered at Starscream's body and gasped.

"My Primus," he said. "What did you _do _to him?" Megatron ignored the question and asked,

"What is the extent of his injuries?" Knock Out frowned slightly, and ran a diagnostic scan.

"Besides the broken neck cables, dented chassis and punctured wings? His vocal processor is heavily damaged, several energon lines in his lower abdomen have been severed and he is, to put it simply, bleeding internally. His laser core is fractured as well."

"Life-threatening?" Megatron growled.

"With immediate and _proper_ treatment, no. He should make a full and rapid recovery," Knock Out said. Megatron nodded, staring at Starscream with narrowed optics. A smile played around his lip components.

It felt good to put Starscream in his _rightful _place.


End file.
